Friday afternoon, I hang out a late load of washing, hoping it will dry in the last few hours of a gorgeous sunny Auckland day. Among the t-shirts, an old AC/DC tour shirt. I’ve hung it out to dry many times over the years, but never with as much reason as today.

Concerts are a funny thing. I’ve been waiting to see the Pixies for a couple of decades now. Of course they were broken up for most of that, but when they reformed and started touring again a few years ago now, I always swore I’d see them if they got as close as Australia. They did, I think, a couple of years ago, but I was overseas somewhere else at the time and couldn’t see them. So my excitement at beating the hordes to get a couple of hotly contested tickets to their upcoming Vector Arena gig was palpable. One of my favourite bands, playing one of my favourite albums, in my town.

So it’s weird then, isn’t it, that when they announced a second show at the much more intimate Powerstation (I assume by a factor of about ten?), and I again try to get tickets, but fail (the guy at Ticketmaster told me they sold out in 15 seconds – he sat down at 9am to answer calls, and they were all gone by the time he’d answered the first one), I feel ripped off, like I’ve missed out on something special, gutted even? I’m going to see the Pixies – something I’ve dreamed about for years now – but other people are going to see them somewhere better. Oh well, I'm sure I won't feel that way after I've seen then, whatever the venue.

When it comes to AC/DC however, no stadium can be too big. Fifty-odd containers, hundreds of crew, hundreds of kilometres of cabling, a giant locomotive, cannons, pyrotechnics and an inflatable tart measuring storeys high. (Oh, and my friend Vicki, who today prepared some flower arrangements for their private jet ride home.)
I wouldn’t want to see them at the Powerstation. They rocked Western Springs last night in true dirty rock and roll fashion. I’ve never been to a concert before where women in the audience actually flashed their breasts to be broadcast on the giant screens placed either side of the stage – I assumed this was something that went out of fashion in Motley Crue concerts in the eighties. But oh no.

AC/DC may only have three chords, but damn they play them well.

Earlier in the day, a friend* had gone to a local supplier of pipes and other paraphernalia to enable him to discretely indulge in his favourite poison at the concert. While he wasn’t wearing an AC/DC t-shirt, the old Westie woman behind the counter took his money and asked “So you’re going to AC/DC tonight? Yeah, we’ve been flat out today!”

Shihad played support; another great stadium band, and quoted almost word for swear-word what Midnight Youth had said of playing Big Day Out this year: “We’ve been listening to these guys for f***ing ages – it’s a f***ing privilege to play on the same stage as them tonight.” AC/DC don’t need to swear; we already know they’re cool.

One of Jon Toogood’s favourite tricks is to get everyone to wave their hands in the air from left to right, as they launch into the crunching intro to ‘Pacifier’. It never fails to raises the hairs on my neck, seeing thousands of people move like that in unison. I have a theory, that for almost everything there exists, somewhere someone has a sexual fetish about it. I often wonder if up on the perimeter overlooking the audience, some old man in a raincoat is indulging himself vigorously, growling “oh yeah... move as one... that’s right... yeahhhh....”. No-one else every thought that? Okay, just me then.

It’s been a great week for music, and while it was a few days ago now, I can’t write this blog without mentioning the inaugural Laneway festival. A concept that started in a lane in Melbourne, and spread across Australia, local lad Mark Kneebone brought it to Britomart for Auckland Anniversary Day last Monday. It sold out and was a great success despite a typical Auckland summer’s day – overcast, scattered showers.

For those of us who found this year’s Big Day Out line-up a little on the stale side, Laneway was the opposite – a number of hot new acts, most of which I only knew one or two of their tracks. A lot of people raved about the XX, although they were a little low-energy for my tastes. Seeing the Phoenix Foundation is always a good time, and this was no exception. I had been excited about Echo and the Bunnymen, although purely for nostalgic reasons, and while my buddy Simon sang enthusiastically to every track, they sounded like they were going through the motions. As I guess you do, quarter of a century after you were famous.

The highlight of the night for me? Florence and the Machine. As Florence practiced her hairography, joked with the crowd between songs and most of all impressed with her powerful vocals, a friend remarked – “it’s like everything before this was just a support act for her”, and he wasn’t far wrong. I need to go and buy that album.

As I said, Laneway was a sell-out, and it was great to have a big event in the centre of the CBD, something Auckland is sadly lacking compared to our other big cities. A few teething issues – massive queues for not just beer, but most food too – but I really appreciated the fact that the event hadn’t been oversold. Even at the end of the night, it was still easy to get a good view of the bands on the main stage, and walk around without having to barge through. Mark tells me (my report will be up on Monday publicaddress.net/radio) that they’re already booking acts for next year, so I guess that means Laneway will be a fixture of the summer concert series from now on. Choice, thanks Mark.

It does seem as though people managed to get Powerstation Pixies tickets relatively easily using the presale. It worked for me, and several friends. (I was using a desktop and a laptop and hitting refresh on both every five seconds from about 11.57am, because I am an obsessive dork.)

Then again, Damian, you may have the last laugh, because March 11 is my estimated due date. So I may end up seeing neither of the Pixies shows I have tickets for, and you'll at least have one guaranteed Pixies show without worrying about going into labour early. Cheer up! </Pollyanna>

My husband went to AC/DC because they were his favourite band when he was 12. He came home giggling at the over-the-top RAWKIN ludicrousness of it all. I rather wish I'd gone myself now...

Not wanting to make you any more jealous and upset, but (sorry) watched the Pixies Gouge Documentary last night, and OMG, if they generate a quarter of the visceral intensity of the 1988 footage in that, the Vector Arena is going to bust a valve. The Powerstation sounds better to me too, and I tried to get tickets, but clearly 45 seconds too late. Frankly, I think they make AC/DC look like innocent schoolboys ;-)

and I again try to get tickets, but fail (the guy at Ticketmaster told me they sold out in 15 seconds – he sat down at 9am to answer calls, and they were all gone by the time he’d answered the first one), I feel ripped off,

Same, but I was told 90 seconds, but the computer went down and although was back up by 12 on Tuesday. we were immediately disappointed. Thursday morn I tried again and from 9 until 10 past ,I tried 20 times with no luck. now I have Trade me advising of any new Pixies entries as Vector has some but we don't want Vector any more.Drunks were a total nuisance at the Crooked Vultures, which has put us off (plus the equivalent of the yellow star one must wear to get in and out and about the bloody venue). So if anyone has spares?....

I logged in at 12pm the day of the presales and they were gone in seconds too - there can't have been many presales. So then two days later I jumped on with the general public and bang, 15 seconds...

I think so many people are Ticketek members now that the benefit is quickly diminishing. It was even tricky to get the Vector ones through the presale apparently - I went one step further and got an even more advanced sale available only to Pixies fan club members (I'm not one, but used the link anyway).

I know a few people who got Powerstation tickets - all people who already had Vector tickets, which is fair enough, but what it suggests is that the appetite for Powerstation tickets wasn't diminished by the 10,000 Vector tickets, just that a lot of people are going to end up seeing them twice.

Danielle - I'm sure you already have offers, but if you end up not being able to make the Powerstation show, I'll happily buy it off you at the last moment. More than happily in fact. So on the one hand, I genuinely hope you can make the show... but on the other.... :)

People in Auckland should not bitch about only getting to see them once, as I've wanted to see them for 19 years, and having just bought a second house, I couldn't afford tickets and flights to see what is probably my favourite band. I hope they come back and do either Wellington or Christchurch.

Once? Kyle, I live in the same city and it seems I don't get to see them at all because some people need to do it twice.

I'm hoping the real story is a good resale market and not gouging those of us with a strong connection to the music (to the extent of pushing them when they first came out, oh yes). I wish I'd known about the presales but then I haven't been going to gigs much for some years.

it seems I don't get to see them at all because some people need to do it twice

Now hang on a minute mate. That Vector show didn't sell out immediately, I'm pretty sure - there were tickets available for some days. There are currently twelve not-particularly-gougey auctions for Vector tickets on TradeMe, too. And it's hardly like you can blame hardcore fans for wanting to get tickets to a late-scheduled surprise side show that's playing in a place with 1100 capacity. That's a whole different ballgame, if you love a band lots.

(Also, I am clearly never leaving my house again apart from this, so people have the opportunity to purchase all my unbought tickets to the Dirty Projectors, the Dead Weather, Yo La Tengo, Pavement, Massive Attack, and Wilco if they like. :) )

Yes I know that Sacha, I myself hinted waaay back, (before Damian ) but felt it rude to just come out and wish Danielle would miss out because she decided to time everything at once. ;) Still, what does that lot say? Yeah, God loves a trier.

It never fails to raises the hairs on my neck, seeing thousands of people move like that in unison. ... somewhere someone has a sexual fetish about it.

It should have a name synchronophilia maybe?

We once got dragged to a college football game in the US and it was as bad as you would expect a sport designed for TV to be when viewed live - But at halftime the marching band came out - wow they were really cool and I'm pretty sure I saw a few guys in raincoats with cameras set up to stream live to the internet.